WEBVTT - TODAY A HOUSE COMMITTEE HEARD TESTIMONY ONTHAT BILL ASTHEY CONSIDER PASSING IT ONTO THE FLOOR.THEY HEARDFROM LOTS OFPEOPLE, BOTH IN THE ROOM ANDOVER THEPHONE-- AND ALL WERE IN SUPPORT.ANDREASAMBROOK- SUPPORTSGENDERNEUTRAL BATHROOM BILL- ISUPPORT THISBILL BECAUSETHE LANGUAGETHAT WE USE MATTERS,BECAUSE SAFESPACES MATTER AND BECAUSE FRANKLY THISBILL CAN SAVE LIVES IT'S A BILL THATADDRESSES A NATIONAL TOPIC: GENDER-FREE BATHROOMS.AND THEY COULDSOON BE LAW INTHE STATE OFVERMONT.BRENDACHURCHILL - SUPPORTSGENDERNEUTRAL BATHROOM BILL-CURRENTLY WHEN I AM INNEED OF A RESTROOM, I OFTEN HAVESINGLE USEBATHROOMS ALREADY MAPPED OUT SO THAT I DON'TEVEN HAVE TOWORRY ABOUT WHERE TO STOP AT THESTATEHOUSETUESDAY - A HOUSE COMMITTEE HEARD TESTIMONY FOR SOMELAWMAKERS VERSION OF ABATHROOM BILL.R IT WOULDREQUIRE THATALL SINGLE USER TOILETFACILITIES - IN PLACES OF PUBLICACCOMMODATION ACROSS THESTATE - BEDESIGNATED AS GENDER FREE.NO MALE...ORFEMALE ONLY.STATE OFFICIALS ESTIMATE THEPRICE TAG FOR NEW SIGNS IS $4.FOUR DOLLARSTHAT WOULDSIGNAL ACHANGE - IN MORE THAN JUSTBATHROOMS.ANDREA-THIS INSTALLATIONSILENTLYBROADCASTSTHE MESSAGE, ISEE YOU, YOUEXIST YOU MATTERTRANSGENDER ADVOCATES SAY CHOOSINGBETWEEN THE MENS OR WOMEN'S ROOMHAS CAUSEDSAFETY ANDHEALTH ISSUES.IN SOME CASES,THE CHOICEBECOMES NOT GOING AT ALL. SHAY TOTTEN,PARENT- ADVOCATE, BURLINGTON- SOMETIMES GOING OUT TOEAT, IF THEYKNOW THERE'SNOT A GENDERFREE RESTROOM,THE ANXIETY AND THE STRESS OF PICKING A PLACE TO EAT CAN BE SOMETIMES IMPOSSIBLETHOSE WHO BACK THE BILL SAY EVERYONECAN BENEFIT FROM HOW ABATHROOM IS IDENTIFIED. JAY DIAZ- ACLUOF VERMONT-NO ONE WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR THEIR GENDERIDENTIFIEDBATHROOM TO BEFREE WHEN THE OTHER ONE ISOBVIOUSLY OPENREINFORCING THE KIND OF STATE VERMONT HAS A REPUTATION OF BEING....WELCOM ING.JAY- THIS LEGISLATION REPRESENTS VT AT ITS BEST,BEING A WELCOMING PLACE SEEKING GREATER EQUALITYTHE CHAIR OFTHE HOUSE COMMITTEE ONGENERAL,HOUSING AND MILITARY AFFAIRSSAYS THERE WASBEEN NO PUSHBACK ON THE BILL THAT SHE ISAWARE OF, SHE HOPES TO SEND ON TO THE HOUSE FLOOR LATER THISMONTH.LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM, ABBY ISAACS NBC5 NEWS.

A very controversial topic has made its way to Vermont: gender-free bathrooms. The House Committee on General, Housing and Military Affairs heard testimony Tuesday on a bill that would require all single-user toilet facilities in places of public accommodation across the state be signed as gender-free, instead of assigned to a certain gender.

"I support this bill because the language that we use matters, because safe spaces matter and because, frankly, this bill can save lives," supporter Andrea Sambrook, who has a transgender son, said.

Advertisement

"Currently, when I am in need of a restroom, I often have single-use bathrooms already mapped out so that I don't even have to worry about where to stop," bill supporter Brenda Churchill, who identifies as transgender, said.

State officials estimated the cost of each new sign at $4. It's money that would signal a change in more than just the bathrooms.

Transgender advocates said choosing between the men's or women's room has caused safety and health issues. In some cases, the choice becomes not going at all.

"Sometimes going out to eat, if they know there's not a gender free restroom, the anxiety and the stress of picking a place to eat can be sometimes impossible," parent-advocate Shay Totten said.

Representatives from the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce, Vermont Human Rights Commission, ACLU of Vermont and the Office of the Attorney General also spoke out in support of the bill.

Those who back the bill said everyone can benefit form how a bathroom is identified.

"No one will have to wait for their gender identified bathroom to be free when the other one is obviously open," Jay Diaz, with ACLU of Vermont, said.

Diaz said it reinforces the kind of state Vermont has a reputation of being, welcoming.

"This legislation represents Vermont at its best, being a welcoming place, seeking greater equality and pushing back against the terrifying national trend that we’re seeing against trans people," Diaz said.

"We think Vermont has a long history of welcoming people to visit our state and trying to roll out the red carpet for our visitors and see this as another step in that regard, ensuring that people who live here or who want to visit feel comfortable," Cathy Davis, with the chamber, said.

The chair of the House Committee on General, Housing and Military Affairs said she's not aware of any pushback on the bill and she hopes to send it on to the floor later this month.